School Programs

About

Connect in new ways to art and history. Make and share personal connections. Immerse your group in an interactive experience. Get a great quality experience in an internationally renowned museum right in the heart of our own community.

Creativity, culture, and the rich history of our County merge at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (MAH). School Programs at the MAH empower over 2,000 students from across Santa Cruz County annually through immersive guided field trips, adventures through historic Evergreen Cemetery, and customized group visits throughout the museum.

General Information

All tours support Common Core State Standards by encouraging critical thinking, communication, creativity and collaboration

All tours accept a maximum of 32 students

A minimum of one chaperone for every 5 children is required (Does not apply for Custom Group Visit.)

Bilingual (Spanish/English) guides available upon request

Field trips must be scheduled three weeks in advance byrequesting a tour online,calling Jamie Keil, Youth Programs Coordinator at (831) 429-1964 x 7020 or emailing her at jamie@santacruzmah.org.

Community Building through Art and History

Bridge art and history in a fun, museum-wide immersive adventure with a focus on community building.

Using art and history as the driving force, students will unpack Santa Cruz County history to build a more connected and meaningful community. They will take on specific identity roles from Santa Cruz County’s past, explore three floors of art and history galleries, and rebuild a brighter future through a collaborative creative project.

Check out available dates for this field trip here. Request a field trip online here.

Tombstone Tales at Evergreen Cemetery

Explore the stories behind the tombstones. Dive into Evergreen Cemetery–a museum without walls– and go on a scavenger hunt while learning about the earliest settlers of Santa Cruz County. Participants get hands-on with gravestone rubbings, learn stories from docents, and present their new knowledge to the group.

Check out available dates for this field trip here. Request a field trip online here.

Custom Group Visit

Bring your group to the MAH and explore the museum. Customize the visit to your needs by working with MAH staff.

In this new trip option, participants get a personal museum introduction from a staff member and engage with participatory, all-ages activities in exhibitions on on all three floors of the museum. Customize your visit with a talk about a topic of your choice. This talk can highlight what you want your group to focus on, such as Santa Cruz County History, social activism through art, or exhibition curation. You’ll receive materials about each exhibition including discussion topics and questions for group leaders to help facilitate dialogue.

*Please note: Groups larger than 32 can be accommodated with a price increase.

Check out available dates for this field trip here. Request a field trip online here.